“Run my dear from anything that may not strengthen your precious, budding wings. Run like hell my dear, from anyone likely to put a sharp knife into the sacred tender vision of your beautiful heart.”
—Hafiz
~
~
I awoke with the sunlight shining directly in my eyes. The surface changed beneath me. In a second, I was transferred from my prison to a much larger cage, where I knew many unwelcome and terrifying surprises awaited me.
For a moment, I chose to just lie there and take in my last few moments of peace. With each breath, my short life flashed before me. I had been so blessed. I saw my mother’s peaceful face smiling at me as I twirled in front of her in my leotard, and then my dad hanging out with me around the kitchen island as we shared a piece of chocolate cake and a laugh. I saw Famous sitting on the couch by the front door, waiting for me to get home so he could shower me with love and adoration. I saw myself with Teddy, contemplating life and the future with my best friend, as we always did.
And then I saw Devilyn.
Looking down at me.
Cupping my cheeks in his strong hands and pulling me close for a kiss that sent chills down my spine.
Was this it? My last hours on earth? Had my whole life come to this very moment?
Even though the fear of the unknown overtook me, I could not prolong the inevitable.
And so, I met my destiny head on, and carefully surveyed my surroundings.
There were no prison gates around me anymore. They had magically disappeared. I was alone and in the middle of the Dark Forest. I sat up slowly, my body aching from sleeping on the cold ground. For a human, the forest would seem harmless, almost idyllic. But there were dark forces at work, about to unleash hell on me. This beautiful landscape was about to become the playground for my unimaginable. I had to hide quickly and pray that whatever power I would face wouldn’t be strong enough to find me.
Before I found shelter, I needed a weapon. I got up quickly and searched my surroundings. A sharp rock would help, or maybe a long stick—with both, I could put my nonexistent shop skills to use and whittle it into a spear.
All that surrounded me were tiny pebbles.
Gray ones, white ones, green ones.
Even black.
I used to throw similar stones across a lake in North Carolina with Teddy, watching them as they glided across the lake’s surface. They wouldn’t do much more than sting a little and surprise whatever came after me. Even so, I gathered as many as I could and put them down the top of the dress. Ironic that I was dressed in my Halloween costume, as the very thing the Dark Fae hated me for being.
The Light Queen.
I made my way toward the stream, searching for anything that might be useful as a weapon besides these measly pebbles.
But there was nothing.
It was becoming quite apparent that this playground placed me at a disadvantage in every possible way. It was hard to stay confident. It was hard to believe that I would make it out of this nightmare. For a second, I wished for someone to help me, but then the fear of losing them to this madness, or to Alderon or the evil Puck, was enough to make me endure the hell on my own.
I was losing confidence and I hadn’t even come face-to-face with whatever was out here. Who was I fooling? I didn’t stand a chance. How could I? I didn’t even know what was coming.
If I hadn’t been aware that Alderon and Puck were watching, I would have cried my eyes out. But there was no way I’d let them witness any weakness. I hunched over the flowing stream and cupped my hands together, then brought my hands up to my face and let the ice-cold water run over my eyes, nose, and cheeks.
I would never survive if my emotions were this wound up. I needed to calm myself because that was the only way I’d be able to think clearly.
A moment later I felt a sharp stab of pain against my heart. It was a quick sting but enough to get my attention.
A flash of Devilyn appeared before my eyes.
He was here. I sensed his presence.
His energy.
And he was in pain.
The thought of anything happening to him filled me with such sorrow and sadness that it was almost paralyzing. To live in a world without him in it would be unbearable.
There was no way he could survive whatever Alderon had in store for him, even if he brought an entire army. This was no longer the land with which he or any of the other Fae were familiar. They did not know that Puck had just thrown all the sacred rules out the door, so that there was nothing standing in the way of them using any means to destroy the Light.
I prayed for Devilyn, and I prayed we would survive this madness.
Rustling in the trees brought me back to my own predicament. Devilyn was near, but I dared not dwell on his battle. Instead, I had to think of my own survival. I shook off my fears and rose. I needed to focus on the supposed skills Dana told me I possessed, even though I didn’t know what they were, let alone how to use them. I had to focus on the magikal energy that Devilyn had shown me.
The sky let out a crackling sound as the tops of the tall black trees began to sway back and forth. I glanced up and heard Alderon’s voice ringing through the air, vibrating with energy and surrounding me with its intensity.
“Good morning, Caroline.” Alderon’s voice traveled through the forest like the wind, touching me ever so gently. “It appears you’re very well rested, which pleases me, as we have quite an exciting day planned for you.”
“I slept like a baby,” I said defiantly as I looked around for evidence of where his voice was coming from. “You should try the cage sometime—it might do wonders for your mood.”
The silence that greeted me was satisfying. There was no way I was going to admit how terrified I was.
“Clever girl,” he said after a moment. His voice sounded as if he was more than enjoying himself. Goosebumps ran up my arms. “I see why my son is so enamored with you.”
“You know nothing about your son,” I returned.
“Oh, I beg to differ, dear girl,” Alderon said. “My blood runs through his veins. My thoughts tease him at night. My son, in contrast to the fantasy you’ve created in your mind, is just like me.”
“That’s your downfall,” I said. “Your constant need to discredit him. Devilyn is a man of honor. He’s a true king.”
I couldn’t stop my voice from faltering. Just thinking about Devilyn choked me with emotion.
“And you,” I continued. “You are just a weak, hideous man who betrayed everyone who was ever in his life.”
I was asking for more trouble, but I didn’t care. I waited for him to respond. But nothing happened. The forest became eerily silent. Everything seemed to stand still. And then it began—
“Little human,” Alderon’s awful voice vibrated through the land, causing the earth to tremble beneath me. “In our land we have many levels of darkness. Each enemy is treated differently depending on their indiscretions. Some leave slightly scarred, and others are, well, not so fortunate. I thought at first to go easy on you, given my son’s affections.”
My heart stopped then raced, hammering against my ribs.
“But with those eloquent words you sealed your own fate,” he said. “Torture becomes you. You will die savagely. Slowly. And yes, after much thought, I do believe I will allow Puck to bathe in your blood.”
The ground beneath me began to shake like a high-magnitude earthquake.
Something was coming for me.
I had to hide.
My nightmare was about to start.
I held all the pebbles against my chest as I ran toward the embankment. The ground moved violently beneath my feet, making it hard for me to keep my balance. I thought about climbing one of the large trees, but now feared that it might topple to the ground.
A large tornado of dirt and leaves started spinning rapidly in front of me. For a moment I was mesmerized as the tunnel spun around between the trees without touching a single one.
And that’s when the voice I loathed even more than Alderon’s spoke.
“Allow me to make the introduction, Light Queen. Caroline, please meet Sheytan. Sheytan, Caroline.” Puck’s mad voice reverberated through the forest. “Sheytan’s notorious for being quite the Devil amongst us Fae. He’s a real lady killer, if you know what I mean.”
I watched as the creature called Sheytan began to spin faster and faster, moving closer to me. I stood my ground, focusing on maintaining my balance.
“My dear, brave, foolish girl,” Puck shouted with laughter, no doubt watching my every move.
But I waited. And then just as fast as the creature spun, it came to an abrupt stop. As the dust and leaves began to settle, a catlike animal with the appearance of an enormous bobcat took shape. Its fangs hung like sharp daggers out of its mouth, and it stood well over eight feet above my mere five foot six inches.
I couldn’t help but take a slight step back.
“I see we’ve gotten your full attention,” Puck shouted joyfully.
I didn’t hesitate.
There was no time.
I turned and took off running.
“That’s it,” Puck continued. “Run, Light Queen. Run. Go as far as your mortal legs will take you. I do love to watch a good chase.”
I ran into the woods as fast as my legs would move. There was something different now about my gait. Something had changed. I was moving faster than I ever had. The trees zipped past me at a pace that was not normal. I glanced back for a second and noticed that Sheytan, too, had been caught off guard, clearly not expecting me to gain much traction in such a short amount of time.
But he quickly brushed off his shock and caught up to me, so we were soon running next to each other. I tried to focus ahead, planning my next move.
The next thing I knew, he threw his large body into mine. The impact was excruciatingly painful and sent me flying through the air. I missed hitting a tree by inches. My body landed with a thump on the ground, feeling as though I had been hit by a train.
I stood up shakily and prepared myself for another attack, but the Sheytan was nowhere to be found. Instead, an ethereal creature hovered over me. It resembled a large butterfly, but it was made purely of Light. The bright rays illuminated the surrounding area, shielding me from seeing anything beyond it.
The creature’s wings swayed rhythmically in the air and soothed all the throbbing pain in my body. Within moments, the aches were gone. I found myself reaching out and placing my hand on its alien-appearing face. The largest dark eyes I had ever seen stared back at me, with the faintest hint of a smile. It leaned into my touch and began showing me visions.
Amid flashes of the Dark Forest, the being flew through the sky, lighting the darkness, looking down on everything. Observing my attack.
I then viewed myself, the way I was right at that moment, touching the creature. I saw Sheytan searching for me, unable to find me as this being of Light shielded me. And then the creature began showing me images of what I assumed was to come.
I fell against a tree.
It was actually one I recognized from childhood.
The great tree symbolized Roanoke’s entire history and marked the location of the disappearance of the villagers from The Lost Colony. My body was pale, as though I was on the verge of death.
Suddenly I heard Devilyn shouting in agonizing pain, and then I saw nothing.
Only stars.
As if I was flying through the universe.
I drew my hand back.
“What are you?” I asked softly.
“I am the Will O’ Wisp.” The creature stared into my eyes, speaking telepathically.
“Are you my friend?” I replied uncertainly.
“Yes, Light Queen. Your friend. Ally.”
The creature spread its illustrious, iridescent wings, leaving a sight that was truly magnificent. Its veil-thin wings sparkled with an incandescent light that strangely soothed my soul.
“Until your very end.”
I wouldn’t let them. No matter what.
“Follow me, Queen of the Light.”
Having no other choice, I complied.
“What is your name?” I asked as I allowed the creature to lead me through the forest, shielding me from harm with its light.
“Willow.”~
“Where are you taking me, Willow?” I asked.
“You will soon see,” he replied.
We moved through the forest easily. I felt safe with Willow, but I wondered where we were going and what would await me when we got there.
Within minutes, we reached a glen filled with black flowers blooming from every bush for as far as my eyes could see.
“You will be safe here,” Willow said as he rose up in the sky.
“Wait!” I called out, gazing up as his light began to dim. “Where are you going?”
But there was no answer.
As quickly as he had come, he disappeared into the sky. Taking in a deep breath, I began surveying my surroundings. The black flowers circled me like a ring. Maybe this was part of the protection Willow mentioned.
But I wasn’t certain.
I did not know much of anything.
Despite being a member of the Fae, I was almost completely ignorant. I was unfamiliar with the forest. I was unaware of the scope of my powers. And even worse, I had no idea what lay ahead.
So, I decided to wait.
Time passed.
But nothing came.
No sign of the Sheytan, or any other creature. No sign of Puck or Alderon. The deafening silence only made me wonder. I walked up to the flowers and studied them. They were similar to hydrangeas with black veins, the leaves and stems pulsing with life. Even though they were beautiful, I suspected some sort of magical spell would befall me if I accidentally made contact with one.
It was then that I noted a milky white arm hidden among the black vines. At first, I jumped back, half expecting something to attack me. When nothing did, I leaned forward and looked closer.
Katya.
From afar she merely appeared sound asleep, but upon closer inspection, she seemed lifeless until several moments passed and I observed the slow and subtle rise and fall of her chest. She lay in the bed of black flowers, apparently shielded from the outside world. Four small black leaves held her body off the ground, and as if sensing my presence, they began shifting, slowly moving her forward and out of the bushes until she was right before me.
“Katya?” I whispered.
But she didn’t open her eyes.
Was this yet another trick, or was she under some type of spell?
I stepped closer to her and lightly shook her arm.
Again, nothing.
“Katya,” I said. “It’s Caroline. Please wake up.”
In an instant, Katya’s face reacted to the sound of my voice. The muscles in her face began to strain, clearly showing signs of distress. I was aware that deep down she hated me because of her love for Devilyn. She had said many times that she would stop at nothing to get me out of the picture. But regardless of her hatred toward me, for a reason I couldn’t explain, I didn’t feel the same way.
Watching her in this state, seeing her in pain, gave me great sympathy for her. In that moment, I realized we had a lot in common: we were both prisoners, physically and emotionally. To love someone and not have it returned was not an enviable situation. And then to be further punished for it was an even greater heartache.
“I’m sorry,” I told her, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. “I’m so sorry that your heart was broken. I know you love him. I can’t blame you for that. How can you not love him? He’s everything.”
I thought of Devilyn’s handsome face and the intensity that radiated off him that was so spellbinding.
“My wish for you is to find someone who loves you the same way in return.” Katya’s face reacted to my words and her chest began to slowly rise and fall.
“I don’t understand what is happening to you,” I continued. “But I hope that you’re not in any pain.”
I placed my hand on her cool forehead.
“I would have liked nothing more than to be your friend, instead of your enemy,” I told her. “You need to understand that I didn’t ask for any of this. It just happened. I know nothing of the laws or rules that govern the Fae. If I had been more aware, everything would be different.”
Her face began warming under my touch. I continued on.
Tears began slipping out of my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to stop them.
I took a shaky step away from her. The black vines began to slowly disentangle themselves from her body, releasing her from her prison. Once they were all gone, the leaves gently placed her down on the ground.
After a moment, Katya opened her eyes.
“Where am I?” she said as she struggled to sit.
I had forgotten just how beautiful she was with her raven hair and dark eyes. There was no doubt that the Fae were exceptionally gifted in the looks department, but Katya was exquisite.
“We’re in the Dark Forest.”
She jumped at the sound of my voice and quickly stood. She slowly took in my appearance, which I was sure must have been haggard.
“How did you get here?” she said, her expression giving nothing away.
“Puck,” I said. “And Alderon.”
Surprisingly, her eyes narrowed in fury when I said Alderon’s name.
“And Devilyn?” she asked me coldly.
“I don’t know where he is,” I said. “Alderon took me from a Halloween party and brought me here.”
“Took you?” Katya asked sharply.
I nodded.
“So, you escaped them?”
“No. They put me out here, in the middle of the forest. Intending to torture me before they kill me.”
Katya turned away from me.
“So, they are watching us?” she spat out. “They know we’re together?”
“I don’t think so. Whatever this is, I think it’s shielding us from their view, but you would know better than I do.”
“We are protected, but not for long.” She stared me up and down. “Why did you say those things to me when I was under the spell?”
“You heard me?”
“Yes.”
“I only say what I mean,” I replied. “And I wanted you to know that I don’t despise you, regardless of how you feel about me.”
She turned slightly, showing me her beautiful profile.
“Your light pulled me out of the spell Alderon placed me under,” Katya admitted.
“He believed I betrayed him,” Katya spat. “His hypocrisy is unparalleled. He has spent his life betraying our people.”
“Well, I’m glad my light was able to reverse his spell,” I said. And I meant it.
“Are you?” she asked sharply as she turned. “I could destroy you now. Be done with it.”
“You could.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“Strangely, no.”
And I wasn’t. Death seemed unavoidable at this point. It was merely a matter of which way I would go.
For a moment, I detected a flash of respect in her eyes, momentarily betraying her hatred, but it was gone as quickly as it came.
“You saved me from an eternity in a dark sleep,” she said to me. “For that gift, I will take you to the edge of the forest, but what happens to you after is up to the Fates.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
She stared at me for a long moment before nodding.
“Come here,” she ordered. She leaned down and broke off a few of the vines from the bushes.
“What are you doing?” I asked, staying put.
“Hiding you,” Katya said as she held her hand out to me. “We don’t have much time, so you need to come here.”
Was I really just going to trust her? Then again, I wasn’t left with many options. I couldn’t stay in this spot forever and wait for another one of Alderon’s monsters to find me. If I placed my fate in her hands, Katya might ultimately betray me, yet my life was already in danger. I searched her face for any signs of deception, but I saw none.
“I’m not standing here all day, Caroline,” she snapped.
I took a leap of faith and slowly walked over to her.
“Hold out your hands,” she demanded, and I did as I was told. “You’re going to feel some pressure as the vines wrap around your body, but they’ll block you from Alderon and Puck’s sight.”
Pressure was the understatement of the year. Within seconds, the black vines formed a tight trail around my body, practically choking me.
“Katya?” I asked her in alarm.
She then gave me a sugar sweet smile and for a moment I wondered if she had, in fact, betrayed me.
“You’re not going to die,” she told me. “Yet.”
“I can barely breathe,” I said to her as the vines slithered like snakes around my chest and neck.
“That’s not my problem,” she retorted. “Now stop whining and let’s go.”
She tugged me forward. The vines were constricting my energy, preventing me from moving at her lightning pace, but I did my best as she guided me through the forest. It was clear from her speed that she was enjoying making it difficult for me to keep up. Her hatred for me was evidently still there, swimming on the surface of her mind. She might be helping, but she still wanted to see me suffer. It took just minutes, but with the suffocating suit of darkness around my body, it felt like hours.
Katya came to a full stop at the edge of a clearing. Behind us were rows and rows of dark trees and bushes. In front of us rose a road of black grass that led to what appeared to be a large reflection of the forest behind us.
Like a giant mirror.
“We’re here,” she said stepping onto the grass. “It is far more difficult to track you outside the Dark Forest.”
“How is that possible?” I asked. “They found me so easily at a party.”
“They found you the very first time through your spilled blood. The party was too easy. I’m sure Puck even planned it and knew you’d want to go. This forest is a different playground,” she described. “There’s a specific current that runs through that we alone can sense. This energy, coupled with our innate skills, allows us to see and hear everything going on. There are very limited ways in which we can mask ourselves. You are experiencing one of those ways, and only a member of the Dark Fae would be aware of this secret.”
I listened carefully to everything she said as she continued on.
“And no one but a Dark Fae who is familiar with the land can get out. So, there is no way they would ever think that you got away,” Katya explained.
“But if they can’t see me right now, they must be searching for me,” I replied. “Wondering where I’ve gone. And once I step out there and this cloak falls away, they’ll know where I am.”
Katya smiled. “Again, that’s not my problem. It’s your decision to step outside and search for a way home. What lies ahead is not on me. And they might be here already for all we know.”
Katya was unapologetic. It didn’t matter to her that in a few moments I could die. As far as she was concerned, she had repaid me for my small act of kindness and the rest was up to me. I realized I really didn’t have any other choice: Either stand at the edge of the clearing with the vines surrounding my body, barely being able to breathe, or make a run for it.
So, I ran.
As soon as I took my first step out of the forest and onto the black grass, the vines on my body instantly retreated.
I glanced back. Katya had disappeared.
I was alone again.
How long would it take her to tell the rest of them where I was? Would she try to help them to gain back their trust? Probably. But I wasn’t planning on waiting around to find out. I made my way up the path until I reached the giant mirror which so vividly reflected the forest I had left behind.
I was unable to go any farther.
I tapped against the glass and stared at my reflection. I looked exhausted. My hair was wild around my small face. My gray eyes seemed bigger than usual; the dark circles made my appearance seem more gaunt and frail.
Despite my attempts to appear strong, the person staring back at me knew different. It was written all over her face.
I appeared so fragile.
I reached out and touched my face in the mirror, not even recognizing myself. And then the tears began to flow. Unstoppable. One by one. Even though probably no more than a day had gone by, it felt as though I’d been out here in the Dark Kingdom forever.
What were my parents doing? What was Famous up to? Did he sense something was terribly wrong? I just wanted to hold him and be safe in my own bed, the way life used to be. I missed home.
“Caroline?”
I turned around but saw nothing behind me. When I faced the mirror again, a woman took shape against the trees behind me. She walked in my direction until her reflection was facing me through the mirror.
When she got close enough, her image grew clear.
And I knew.
I knew who she was and fell to my knees.
Eyes the same color as my own stared back at me. Her hair was long and blonde, her smile the same as mine.
She placed her palm against the mirror as tears streamed down her face.
I placed my palm up against hers on the glass as we stared into each other’s eyes.
“Look at you.”
“I am looking at you,” I replied as the tears flowed down my face.
“You are so beautiful.”
Virginia Dare stood right before me.
“Are you my mother?”
“Let her go. And stop this now,” I demanded, unable to watch any more.
The water in the stream was now showing an unobstructed picture of the forest, and my beautiful Caroline facing the Mirror of Fate, believing that she was gazing at her mother. It was impossible to do more than imagine the range of emotions she must be feeling as I watched my world collide with her innocent one, and one she knew nothing about. Alderon was playing with her emotions. Teasing her. Giving her hope. Tugging at her heart with the intention of shattering it into a thousand pieces.
I knew this game.
He played it with everyone.
I had watched with satisfaction when he had lost sight of her in the forest. She certainly was a force to be reckoned with. She had made it so far and it couldn’t have been easy, unless there were some forces working in her favor. For a second, I had hoped that maybe Caroline was able to escape, but when she appeared at the edge of the Dark Forest and started up the Black Path, my heart sank.
Now, so many emotions played across Caroline’s face. Sadness. Joy. Longing. And love. The love of a daughter for her mother.
This obstacle was worse than some hideous forest monster. This had the potential to break her, and my father was well aware of that.
“Stop this,” I commanded again.
“Why would I ever do that?” Alderon asked me with a raised brow. “This is the most fun I’ve had in years. Watching the pathetic human girl pining after her dead mother.”
“This entire game you’ve arranged, all of it, is wrong. You’re operating under false presumptions,” I shouted.
“False presumptions?”
“You think that I would be willing to risk my entire existence for her life,” I said. “And you are mistaken.”
Alderon laughed. “Do you believe I am that easy to fool, Devilyn?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t. But do you think that one life means more to me than the lives of thousands of Fae? Be them Light or Dark?”
“You love her,” Alderon said. “Dare you deny it?”
The finality of my words struck a chord in me. I wanted to always choose her above anything. Above anyone. Above all. But that was not what kings were born to do. A king was ultimately a master of his people, there to serve by divine right. Chosen for this purpose and this purpose alone. I had known the truth all along. But to say the words out loud was an entirely different matter.
“Finally, my son speaks honestly.” Alderon clapped with joy.
“Just leave her alone. You’re wrong in assuming that I would ever marry her.” The words came out before I could stop them, and they cut deep within my soul.
I watched as Alderon smiled. I realized he had read my thoughts. And my misery pleased him.
“Heartbreaking, isn’t it?” he asked me. “To want something so badly, but to know that if you take it, you might destroy it with your own hands.”
He was right.
“Am I still lying to you?” I asked calmly.
Alderon was contemplative. “If you tell me you don’t love her, you would be.”
“I do love her,” I said solemnly. “But I will never marry Caroline.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I promised I would keep her safe.”
~
I heard every word.
His soft, soothing voice reverberated throughout my body and through my soul. Devilyn’s voice broke through the fog that had surrounded me in the forest as I stared at the vision of my mother. I could hear him now. And the first words I heard shattered my heart.
I didn’t need anything else to attack me. His words hurt me more than anything Alderon sent for me ever could. I didn’t want to believe him. It wasn’t possible. He had to be lying to his father.
I looked at the vision of my mother, Virginia Dare, and everything suddenly became clear.
This was all a lie.
All of it.
Every part of my life, including the angel that stood before me, was a lie.
“You’re not real,” I whispered.
“I’m here, my love,” she said back to me. “Real is what you see.”
“No,” I said. “Real is what I feel.”
I pushed away from the mirror and stepped back.
It was funny. The vision of my mother didn’t hurt me as much as the possibility of Devilyn’s words being true. Her image began to blur until she disappeared.
And then I was alone again.
With nothing but the Dark Forest behind me.
And an empty canvas before me.
Devilyn and I had shared so many moments together. Moments I refused to believe were based on lies. I thought that we were soul mates, destined for one another. What was the point of it all if that wasn’t true? I wondered if perhaps the black magik of the forest was playing tricks on my mind again. But then his voice came through, and I heard it all again. And it was as clear as day.
I wanted to throw up. He was lying. He had to be.
It rang with honesty.
He was not lying.
Devilyn’s words struck a chord deep within me. His behavior all this time coincided with everything he said. I was a burden to him. One that would cost him his legacy. A legacy that he had been born for, and one that he deserved because he was good. He was the king his people needed.
I could no longer be an inconvenience to him. I did not want him to sacrifice any more for me. Or anyone else, for that matter. Devilyn was right about one thing. The circle had to end.
And yet, I grew determined that I would not go down without fighting for my life. Ever. If anything, Devilyn’s words gave me strength, fueled my need to survive no matter what the Fates brought me, whatever end that would be. Everything that transpired began to make my blood boil, giving me more strength and vigor than I had ever had.
I turned abruptly and ran back into the forest at lightning speed. My feet were no longer my own; a force within had overtaken me. I knew then that all the powers given to me by the Fates were a fingertip away, and I had finally tapped into them.
Something had shifted inside.
Part of my desire before had been to fight for Devilyn; for us, for our love. But now, I was fighting for my own survival.
I was fighting for me.
I ran as if I were trying to physically escape the brutality of Devilyn’s words. I tried to shed them, turn them into something intangible. To make it as though he had never said them.
As I made my way through the forest, I heard Alderon’s voice again. This time I stopped and closed my eyes, concentrating on where the words were coming from.
“If you’re so concerned about protecting her from harm, it might be easier if she is within reach,” Alderon said coldly. “Perhaps you should join her.”
Just as he finished this statement, a small stream formed right before my feet. Within moments the stream began expanding and surging with water, forming giant waves. In between the powerful current something began to swirl in a whirlpool, and Devilyn came crashing through the center of it, landing right before me, breathing heavily.
In that moment I had never been so happy and so sad to see someone. But after everything I had heard, I had to wonder if the person sitting before me was really him.
He ran his hands through his damp hair and slowly began to stand up as I stared at him in silence.
“Caroline?”
“Is it really you?” I asked.
“It’s me,” he said, almost uncertain. “Are you okay?” He reached out for me, but I moved away from his touch.
“I’m fine,” I told him. “Honestly, I’m okay, Devilyn.”
I didn’t hesitate. I stepped forward and placed my palm against his. The surge of energy moved through my body. I saw him. For what he was. To me. The snippets of our short life together played before my eyes, and I knew in that moment that it was really him.
Devilyn gave me a reassuring smile. “You need to stay close to me,” he said. “I promise I will get you out of here.”
I thought back to what I had heard him say to his father, and the joy I had felt at his appearance instantly turned to ice.
“I’ve been managing quite well on my own,” I told him, stepping back again.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you hadn’t been,” he said anxiously. “But I know this land. Please. Take my hand and follow me.”
He held it out.
“I don’t need to hold your hand, Devilyn. I’ve got this.”
